India open to travel to Sri Lanka for limited-overs series, says BCCI

[MenInG]

Sri Lanka Cricket has requested the BCCI to seriously consider India’s tour of Sri Lanka for its scheduled series in July.

India is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka for three one-dayers and as many T20 internationals in June-July. The tour is currently under threat due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a report published in The Island, SLC has indicated its willingness to play the limited-overs series in late July in an email and are awaiting a reply from BCCI. “Sri Lanka Cricket has sent an e-mail to their counterparts at Board of Control for Cricket in India requesting the possibility of resuming bilateral cricket later in July,” the report said.

According to the report, an official said that “they would have to follow strict quarantine rules and the series might take place behind closed doors considering the safety of fans.” However the BCCI is clear that unless there were clear directives from the government and proper travel advisories in place, they wouldn’t be able to commit to anything.

England’s tour of Sri Lanka for a three-Test series was cancelled in mid-March after the outbreak of the pandemic in the middle of the second warm-up game of the tour. If the India tour doesn’t happen, it would further hit the SLC hard financially.

Sri Lanka had earlier offered to host the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which was indefinitely suspended by the BCCI due to the pandemic.

https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cric...f-sri-lanka-july-covid-19/article31593814.ece

 

[MenInG]

The Indian cricket board - BCCI says it is open to tour Sri Lanka in July for a six-match limited over series, if the government allows them to. “It all depends on government directives pertaining to lockdown relaxations and travel restrictions. We are open to travel if it doesn’t compromise safety and health of our boys,” treasurer Arun Dhumal said.

This was in response to Sri Lankan board’s (SLC) letter to BCCI, offering to host India in a closed door six match tour (3 ODIs, 3 T20Is) in July end, if they were ready to follow quarantine rules.

Does that raise hopes of Virat Kohli-led India, returning to cricket pitch with the Sri Lankan tour. That’s a long shot. Indian players have been confined home, after imposition of nationwide lockdown from March 25. A majority of the players, living in metro cities have been limited to fitness drills, with no space even to run. The Indian board is still waiting for government directives, before they can organize an outdoor skills camp for the players. Besides international travel hasn’t resumed.

SLC currently has no media rights holders and is looking to attract broadcasters, through India tour, by far the most attractive.

“If the BCCI is saying they are ready to tour, that’s just smokescreen. They are telling Sri Lanka, we are willing to honour bilateral commitments,” a source tracking developments says.

Given the timelines, it appears unlikely that the series can be pulled off, at such a short notice.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...s-says-bcci/story-DitoFAFxDXTeZ1DkYeKn0I.html

 

[CanadianG00se]

Not India-SL

I would rather have no cricket than see these two team battle for Billionth time.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Not India-SL

I would rather have no cricket than see these two team battle for Billionth time.

You are more than welcome to skip it. I would rather watch Ind vs SL than watching our cricketers dance in their shining pyjamas. India can't always play against Aus, Eng or SA. You need to get out of your Big 3 **.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

These are the same people who laughed at Akhtar's suggestion. Now they themselves are thinking of resuming cricket. I guess it couldn't be accepted coming from a Pakistani.

 

[Savak]

The BCCI strategy to further isolate the PCB. By offering to tour all other countries except Pakistan, BCCI can further be assured these boards will be indebted to it for life and will never do anything for Pakistan Cricket against BCCI wishes

 

[U$ofA]

The BCCI strategy to further isolate the PCB. By offering to tour all other countries except Pakistan, BCCI can further be assured these boards will be indebted to it for life and will never do anything for Pakistan Cricket against BCCI wishes

It can also be said that all these boards are being totally greedy and selfish. As long as they are getting the $$$ in others can go for toss.

 

[BoomBoomCricket]

ODIs will be part of the ICC ODI Super League. Important games for SL.

 

[CanadianG00se]

The BCCI strategy to further isolate the PCB. By offering to tour all other countries except Pakistan, BCCI can further be assured these boards will be indebted to it for life and will never do anything for Pakistan Cricket against BCCI wishes

Are you saying that PCB or Pakistan cricket depends on India for its survival?

 

[MenInG]

At a time when cricket boards across the globe have been postponing tours with an eye on the coronavirus pandemic and health directives from their respective governments, the Sri Lankan board has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to go ahead and play the limited-over series against the island nation in mid-July. But the Indian board feels it will be near impossible to go ahead with it.

Speaking to IANS, a BCCI official said that while it is still some time away, it looks almost impossible that the Indian team can travel to Sri Lanka for a limited-overs series as early as July.

"I would say it is close to impossible at present. Firstly, we need to take one step at a time in the current scenario and you do realise that some of our players are stuck in Mumbai and Bengaluru -- two zones which are highly affected by the pandemic. Without even going into the question on whether the Indian team would travel without the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma among others, I would say will international travel be permissible? So, we all need to wait and watch how things unfold.

"But keeping in mind how efficiently the government has looked to fight the battle against the pandemic, I doubt we will be in a position to travel outside the country by mid-July. The BCCI will obviously try to honour all its commitments, if not now, then at a later date which suits both boards involved. But looking at the current scenarios, safety is priority. Also, to get cricketers in the red zone to come out and travel to a green zone is currently not allowed. So, if the government does in the near future allow that, we will have to see what happens from there on and if we can then start domestic cricket. Domestic cricket is the way forward at present," he explained.

As per a report published in 'The Island', Sri Lanka Cricket has sent an e-mail to BCCI, requesting the possibility of resuming bilateral cricket later in July. Virat Kohli-led India are slated to tour the Island Nation in mid-July for three ODIs and three T20 internationals.

The report further said that "when contacted by The Island, an official said that they would have to follow strict quarantine rules and the series might take place behind closed doors considering the safety of fans."

Interestingly, SLC has also shown interest to host the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League, a move that was supported by Australia legend Mathew Hayden during an interview with IANS. He said that if it's not possible to stage the tournament in India, it can be held in a nation like Sri Lanka where a city like Colombo has three or four international venues -- provided all necessary health precautions are taken care of and there's no risk to the players, support staff and the broadcasting team that would be travelling.

But an IPL now seems likely only in the October-November window with the World T20 almost set to be postponed.

https://www.outlookindia.com/websit...anka-close-to-impossible-bcci-official/352968

 

[sweep_shot]

If they end up playing, they better do it behind closed doors.

 

[MenInG]

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India’s cricket board (BCCI) will wait for more clarity on international travel restrictions before making a call on the limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka in July, a top board official told Reuters.

Virat Kohli’s team are scheduled to play three one-dayers and the same number of Twenty20 Internationals in Sri Lanka but the series is under threat due to measures imposed to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nothing has been decided as yet, because we are not sure what would be the travel restrictions then,” BCCI treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal told Reuters by telephone.

“There is no clarity about it. So we’ll wait for that and accordingly take a call.”

India has extended a nationwide lockdown to May 31 while all commercial flights in and out of Sri Lanka remain suspended at least until the end of the month.

Bangladesh are being similarly cautious for their three-test series in Sri Lanka in July and August.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-h...a-tour-amid-travel-restrictions-idUKKBN22V0E8

 

[Slim]

Why does BCCI sounds so desperate to tour countries?

 

[MenInG]

Former India skipper Rahul Dravid reckons the concept of resumption of sports in a bio-secure environment, as being discussed by multiple cricket governing bodies presently, amid the coronavirus crisis is "a bit unrealistic" in the long run.

While the BCCI is willing to wait before announcing a restart, the ECB, according to reports, will be asking its players to assemble at the Ageas Bowl on June 23 and to stay away from their families for nine weeks until the end of the third Test against Pakistan.

The Test series is scheduled to start from August 20.

Meanwhile, Cricket South Africa has also announced its eagerness on trying out the bio-bubble scheme if India decides to tour in August.

In a webinar conducted in support of YUVA, a non-profit organisation's relief and recovery efforts amid the pandemic, Dravid said that isolation of players, team officials and other concerned stakeholders for close to a month will become very difficult to carry out.

"It is a bit unrealistic to have things at the level the ECB is talking about. Obviously, the ECB is very keen to conduct these series because they have had no other cricket and it is right in the middle of the season. Even if they are potentially able to create a bubble and manage it in that way, I think it will be impossible for everyone to do it with the kind of calendar that we have, with the travelling that you do on tours and the number of people involved," Dravid said.

"All of us are hoping that things will evolve with time and get better once we have better medication. In case of the bio-bubble, you do all the testing, the quarantine and then on day two of the Test match, what if one player tests positive? What happens then? The rules, as they stand now, will see the Public Health Department coming in and putting everyone in quarantine.

"So that ends the Test match or the series and that ends all the expenses that were made to get everyone there and create that environment. We're going to have to work with the Health Department and Government authorities to find out a way in which even if a player tests positive, the whole tournament isn't cancelled," Dravid who heads the National Cricket Academy added.

- 'Players will miss fans' -

The legendary cricketer feels that although the absence of spectators in stadiums would be disappointing, it won't affect the performance of individuals to a larger extent.

"At a professional level, players will adjust and not let it affect their performances much. A professional, once he or she gets on to the field, has a lot of pride in oneself. So they will find a way to deal with that. But the experience at the end of the day is not going to be the same.

"Players love to perform in front of a crowd, engage with their fans and that adds incredible complexity to a sport. I think that's what a player will definitely miss. There is a personal self-satisfaction when you perform in front of a large crowd."

Resumption of sporting action, says the cricketing great, would see players taking up a little time to get the hang of things.

Dravid, who amassed 13, 288 runs in 164 Test matches, said, "We find ourselves in a situation where a lot of things are beyond our control. However, as responsible citizens, we can control our attitude and follow the government guidelines of wearing a mask, social distancing and so on.

"As a sportsman, we are used to dealing with a lot of uncertainty during our careers. Everything doesn't fall into place. You tend to get scared and worried about stuff but I think one of the things that I would have done is think about things I can control.

"All you can control is your preparation, practice, emotional and mental well-being. You cannot control your results or performances. Coming back after this for active players... maybe it would take a bit of time to catch up to their original skill level. But that won't take long. It is just like riding a bicycle."

https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cric...-pakistan-tour-of-england/article31670052.ece

 

[CanadianG00se]

Why does BCCI sounds so desperate to tour countries?

A. To bail them out
B. Get them to vote for BCCI if it comes to it( ICC vs BCCI)

 

[MenInG]

BCCI will have their way but they should pay heed to Dravid.